Ahead of the arrival of Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh in Sri Nagar, independent MLA Sheikh Abdul Rashid was today placed under house arrest. <br/><br/>The move comes, when he along with his supporters defied prohibitory orders and tried to stage a dharna to protest the killing of three youths in the Machhil fake encounter. <br/><br/>Official sources said, Rashid and his supporters tried to take out a procession towards Lal Chowk in the heart of the city to stage a sit in but police and paramilitary forces prevented them. <br/><br/>As Rashid and his supporters tried to break the police cordon, law enforcing agencies placed Rashid under house arrest and detained nearly 150 of his supporters. <br/><br/>Rashid had sought permission from the District Magistrate, Srinagar, for holding a peaceful protest demonstration in Lal Chowk or Raj Bhavan against the alleged murder of three youths of Nadihal and unabated human rights violations. <br/><br/>An Army Major has been suspended and a Colonel removed from his command for their alleged involvement in the killing. <br/><br/>Meanwhile, the Prime Minister is visiting Kashmir today to take forward his peace initiative in the state and is expected to renew his offer for talks with separatists.<br/>